Breaking Through
by Rosesdancinginmymind
Summary: Zelena wants to take everything from Regina. She finds a way to hurt her and those who love her most. Will her plan succeed? SQ oneshot.


_This is just a oneshot idea that popped into my head when I was wondering about ways that Zelena could punish Regina. This is a Swan Queen story and unless by some stunning coincidence this does happen on the show it's AU. Henry also has his memories. Apologies for any mistakes and I hope you enjoy :) _

_Summary: Zelena wants to take everything from Regina. She finds a way to hurt her and those who love her most. Will her plan succeed? SQ oneshot. _

_Apologies for the vague summary but I have no idea how to describe this without spoiling it! _

Regina wakes to the feeling of cold. Pure icy cold. A cold so harsh it hurts. She winces as she tries to reach for Emma only to find her arm can only move an inch before it hits something solid. She frowns wondering where Emma is. Normally the blonde is wrapped around her, protecting her, shielding her from nightmares. Tonight apparently it didn't work.

_Just open your eyes_.

With a great deal of concentration she slowly inches open her eyes the sight before her causing chilling tendrils of fear to run through her. There is no Emma beside her. There is no beside her for Emma to be.

Glass surrounds her leaving only an inch for her to move her frighteningly stiff and weak limbs against. She can feel her breathing increase at the realisation that she is completely trapped. Terror rampages through her as she tries to control her breathing and remember how this could have happened. All she remembers is going to bed in Emma's arms.

_Emma_ she thinks as a tear runs down her cheek. All she feels is cold. She wonders where Emma is, if she's been taken too.

She looks down at her own body and her frown deepens. It's her body but still it isn't. She looks like the merest whisper of herself, pale and ghostly, flickering on and off. She stares down in shock at the translucent glow of her body. _It can't be. _She's heard of this form of magic but she's never heard of anyone using it. Even Rumple was never cruel enough to do this to another person. He even refused to teach her, and her mother before her, the spell.

The box hangs suspended invisible in the corner of the bedroom she shares with Emma. She can just see it although it plays out like a fuzzy dream.

She smiles as she sees Emma sleeping peacefully still and on instinct reaches out to smooth away those unruly curls from her face. Her arm moves but bashes straight into the fixed glass. She cannot break through.

"Emma" she calls out panicking further when she cannot hear her own voice. Her mouth opens but the words carry no sound. They cannot.

"Emma" she tries again focusing as hard as she can, a tear of frustration falling as she fails once again. The tears sting bitterly against her frozen cheeks. She wonders why the only part of her that remained conscious had to be the one that feels her pain. There's her love for Emma and Henry too but she cannot reach them.

She huffs in frustration and barely restrained fear over her situation before winding her fist up and attempting to hit the glass. It doesn't even shake let alone shatter as she hoped it would.

Regina turns her gaze back to Emma willing the blonde to wake up, willing her to see her. _Please Emma, please just see me. _Emma is the only one who ever sees her for her. Today more than ever she needs Emma to see her.

Instead when those sea-blue eyes sleepily flicker open Emma's gaze falls on something else. As Emma screams Regina looks over to what has scared her so. She would scream too were it not for the way her breath fails her in that moment.

When Regina looks over what she sees is her own still lifeless body cradled in Emma's arms.

* * *

It's Emma's scream that wakens Henry with a start. He jumps up already running before his eyes fully open. The scream is full of terror and pain and it chills him. He's never heard Emma scream like this. What worries him further is that he can't hear his Mom.

_Please let her be okay_ he wishes as she runs into their bedroom, his heart stopping at the sight in front of him.

He thought moving in with his Mom would mean their happy ending. He knows full well that happy endings don't look like people sobbing, screaming and pleading.

"Ma?" he asks hearing how his voice sounds terribly young. He can hear the tears in his voice as he cautiously steps forward.

Emma looks up at him and tries to figure out what to say. What do you say to explain how you fell asleep next to your warm snuggling girlfriend and woke up next to a cold body?

"Come on Regina" she whispers, "Please just wake up. Just open your eyes. I don't need much. Just let me know you're there."

Her tears flow faster as Regina lies silent in her arms. _This can't happen. She can't leave me, us, not now_ Emma thinks. It's too soon, they haven't had the chance to have their happy ending yet. They're grabbing moments while they're fighting Zelena but it's not enough. She can't lose Regina before they have a chance to live more than just moments but a life.

"Mom. Momma" Henry pleads letting himself cry as he clambers over to his mothers, "What happened to her?"

"I don't know" Emma whispers helplessly, "I don't know."

"What do we do?" he asks taking Regina's limp icy hand, "She's so cold"

"I-I," Emma falters wishing she had a good answer right now, "Call an ambulance."

* * *

Regina thrashes with all her might at the glass walls confining her as she watches Emma and Henry sob helplessly. This hurts more than anything. She just wishes she could reach them and show them she's here. _I'm here Henry. Emma, I'm here. Just please come on! _She wills herself to be out of this box and back with them, anything to soothe their pain.

The box jerks suddenly as the EMTs arrive and move her body, Emma and Henry following close by as the paramedics ask them questions they cannot possibly answer.

She looks around as the box transports itself sticking close to the body where her soul should be, where she wishes with all her heart it still was.

After the doctors run their tests and move to tell Emma and Henry they can do nothing for her condition has no cause they can see Regina is left alone staring at her body lying in that hospital bed. She shivers as her mind flashes back to when Henry was in the very same bed.

_Emma saved him when it seemed impossible. We both saved the town. We can beat this. _

She takes a deep breath before hammering at the glass as best she can with her limited space. "Come on!" she yells in frustration as the glass holds strong.

"Oh Regina really dear, haven't you realised how pointless that is yet?"

She looks around to search for the sound of that taunting voice. She scowls at the sound of the witch's laughter, "Where are you?"

Zelena laughs again before appearing in front of her. "Hello dear, enjoying your box? I nearly went with the one Pan kept Rumple in but I felt this would be far more fun."

"What did you do?" Regina asks keeping her balled fists close to her sides. "How can you hear me?"

"I cast the spell dear so I can see and hear you. I can put you wherever I like. I thought you'd like to keep a close eye on your Saviour and son. Oh they looked so helpless earlier didn't they? Tell me dear do you really believe they'll save you? Even you don't know this curse." Zelena taunts with a victorious smirk as she glides in front of Regina.

She lets out a small laugh at the tear she sees on Regina's cheek. She moves forward sliding her hand through the glass with ease, a sight that only increases Regina's rage, before cupping her cheek, "Now, now sis, there's no need to get so upset. I'm sure this won't last long. After all how long can you live without a soul?"

"I'll get out of here and then you'll pay for this" Regina vows.

The other woman laughs again, "Aw you really believe that. How precious" she says mockingly. "Don't you know how this works? Regina your soul is imprisoned by your weaknesses and let's face it my dear you have so many that we both know you aren't getting out of here. Enjoy your cage my dear. Maybe when you're dead I'll take pity on your saviour and son and kill them straightaway? Or perhaps I could take their hearts though without you who knows if they'll even put up a fight?" she pauses with a giggle before leaning close and sneering, "Wicked always wins" she says patting Regina's cheek before poofing away in a cloud of green smoke.

"No" Regina whispers, "Not now. It can't win." She adds wishing she could feel more confident but instead all she feels is the fear overtaking her. She punches weakly at the glass. As her panic grows the glass moves a sliver forward. Were it not for how little room there is in the box to start with Regina may not have even noticed.

Looking at that glass wall Regina sobs before staring down at her flickering fingertips. Staring down at her body she wonders how long she has before she disappears completely.

_I need more time_.

* * *

Emma and Henry sit on either side of Regina, each of them holding tightly to one of her hands silently begging for her to wake up. Their family just isn't complete without her. Snow tried to convince Emma to leave and search for answers but she can't. She needs to be here. Regina needs to know she's here, she needs to know to come back.

Henry looks at his Mom thinking of all the time they wasted. There was the year he fixated on her being the evil queen and pushed her away. Then there was Neverland where he was taken from both her and Emma. Even when they thought they would have time there was the new curse which meant an entire lost year. He can't even imagine what that must have been like for his Mom. He can tell from the way she hugs him sometimes, the way she clings for fear of him slipping through her fingertips, how much it hurt her.

_Wake up Mom. You have to wake up because we missed too much time _he thinks squeezing her hand.

"She will wake up Ma, won't she?" he asks keeping his eyes fixed on Regina's still form.

Emma too focuses on her girlfriend, on her Tallahassee, before slowly replying. The words come out like shards of broken glass as she says, "Of course she will." She wants to believe that's true. She needs to but then the minutes tick by and Regina doesn't move. "We're her home Henry, she has to come back to us."

"Yeah," Henry says, "Because we're all going to be together. We're going to defeat the witch and live a happy ending."

"That's right Henry." Emma replies with a shaky smile. She rubs her thumb over Regina's hand knowing the motion soothes the brunette thinking of the moments they've shared and the ones they haven't had the chance to yet.

"Do you think she can hear us?"

"I hope so Henry" Emma answers, "Why don't we tell your Mom stories to make her come home to us?"

Henry smiles, "Okay. When I was four I wanted a bike. Like I really wanted it more than I ever wanted anything and she went right out and got me one for my birthday. The only problem was neither one of us knew how to ride it."

Emma laughs, "Really?"

"Yeah. I had no idea how she was going to teach me until I woke up one night and found her in the garden"

"Riding?"

"Well sort of. She was more wobbling and then under the bike. I had to do first aid and kiss it better. I wish it would work now" he adds sadly.

"Me too kid" Emma says. "Remember the blender incident?"

Henry grins, "Where you forgot to put the lid on?"

"That's what she told you" Emma replies, "But she wanted a milkshake and in her hurry she forgot."

"Oh my god, she swore that you did that."

"I know. She made me clean that up as well kid. Apparently since I'm taller I could wash the ceiling easier so watch out when you get a growth spurt Henry. You may have too have to cover for your Mom's blender mishaps."

Henry smiles. He'd gladly clean a thousand spills if he meant she'd wake up. He knows as well that he and Emma need to keep talking, to keep believing, "She lets me have her movie choices on family movie night"

* * *

Regina hovers in her rapidly thickening glass box listening intently to Emma and Henry's stories. They had so many moments together. She listens to tales of Henry's childhood as she feels the box grow just a little bit warmer. She can picture all those memories so clearly and retreats into the safety of them.

The flickering begins to slow as Emma chimes in with the moments they shared when they were still having to sneak around. She smiles remembering their cover stories and stakeouts. She listens to the slightly hoarse sound of Emma's voice as she recounts their secret dates. She remembers them all and she wants so many more.

She hears her heart thump in her chest in time to the rhythm of their voices. She feels so safe right now that she can feel her eyes beginning to slip shut but she wills herself to stay awake. Regina can tell that falling asleep will be the worst mistake of her life.

Falling asleep could be the end.

She gasps a shaky breath as the walls close in a little further. _I need to fight _she thinks as she stares through the glass at her crying family. She presses her finger to the glass wondering what it will take to just break through.

_Imprisoned by weakness_ Regina thinks. So much like her whole life. She was scared to tell her mother about Daniel. She was foolish enough to think that Snow wouldn't tell, that Cora wouldn't manipulate it out of her. That cost her her first love.

In her marriage she succumbed to anger. It was all she had to cling to and she dragged herself into darkness thinking it was the escape. It wasn't. All it did was lead her down a dark road filling her with rage and blackening her heart until she lost herself.

She listened to Rumple about the curse and found only more pain. Loneliness gnawed away at her for eighteen miserable long years and she still could not find anything to give her strength. Not until Henry.

With Henry she found strength in the form of his love. She took a potion to forget her weaknesses, her fear and pain and focussed on her the love and belief she found in her son. With him she dared to hope that she had left weakness behind.

She was wrong. A book changed that. So did a saviour. The weaknesses returned and the threat of losing her son terrified her. She loved the challenge of the saviour and yet she was still weak. She was weak because she couldn't understand that loving him, not pushing Emma away, was the answer.

Her weakness was her trap so many times. Her fear pulls her down and dragged her away from what she wanted most – a family and love. She didn't know how to love because all she knew was her fear. She held onto that not seeing how it was her weakness not her strength.

Then there was a trigger and Neverland and something changed. She wasn't alone because there was Emma. Emma by her side helping her and believing in her. Emma trusting her and supporting her. There was 'our son' and working together and someone seeing that there was more to her than the evil queen. Emma was able to pull her away from weakness and darkness and keep her near the light.

_Emma_. _Henry_.

They gave her hope and what she desired most. She can't possibly leave them now.

She keeps her eyes open looking at Emma and Henry. She stares at the impossibly thick glass crushing down on her so she can barely breathe. She can hear the sporadic beeping of the heart monitor in the room and Emma's panic.

_One last try_ she thinks, Emma and Henry deserve one last try.

She wishes for one more kiss, one more hug, one touch, one more anything. She summons up her greatest strength. She may have a lot of weaknesses but she has something to believe in. Regina just hopes it is enough, she is enough, to break through and save her family.

_I love you _she whispers aloud though they cannot hear before she tentatively presses her finger against the glass.

Her eyes slip shut as it pushes through.

* * *

Emma and Henry panic as the monitor beeps wildly. Doctors and nurses come running in pushing the pair aside as they try to stabilise Regina.

Emma hugs Henry close to her shielding his eyes from this moment. No-one should see their Mom like this. _Please Regina. Come on. Just hang on for me. Please just one more moment. _

She gasps the breath escaping her body as the doctors step away before sharing a look. She knows what that look means. They can't do this.

"No!" she shouts startling them all, "Don't give up!" she doesn't know if she's shouting at them or Regina. All she knows is that she cannot lose Regina. Her heart needs Regina to stay with her and Henry. _Tallahassee _she thinks.

_I love you _she thinks as she moves to stand by Regina.

She jumps out of her skin when she feels a pinky finger brush against her own. "Regina?" she asks hopefully staring at that hand and willing it to move again. "Regina, I know you're in there. Please just come back to me."

"Emma she's gone" Whale says but she shakes her head.

"No. No. No. Not yet. We need more time." She pleads frantically as he simply stares sadly at her, "You need to say goodbye."

Henry leans over his mother's forehead before tugging Emma to join him. "Oh Henry" she says through a sob. "I can't do this. I can't say goodbye."

"Together" Henry whispers squeezing her hand, "One more family hug" he says feeling the tears slide down his face.

Emma nods before they both lean forward, their tears dropping onto Regina's lifeless cheeks. Henry kisses his Mom's forehead as Emma kisses her lips. _One more moment_.

* * *

Her eyes slip shut as her finger breaks through.

_Please be enough _she thinks. She just needs Emma or Henry to have seen it. She shakes from the cold wracking her soul as it flickers dangerously.

She hears Whale tell them to say goodbye and she panics. _Please don't give up_ she thinks as she feels herself falling asleep.

Regina gasps as she feels tears drop onto her face. Tears that are not her own. She leans against the glass willing herself closer as she feels arms wrap around her body. _We can do this _she thinks. She just needs to fall through the glass.

She can feel the warmth of their embrace again. _One more family hug. One more moment_ she thinks as lips suddenly touch her forehead.

Her eyes shoot open as she feels that rush of love. Lips press against her own and she pushes back praying this is real and not some sick twisted netherworld Zelena dreamt up for her.

The glass shatters but she doesn't care because the next thing she hears is "Mom!" and "Regina!" before she's pulled into another three-way hug.

"Emma. Henry" she whispers smiling at the sound of her voice. "I love you"

"I love you too. So much" Emma cries cupping Regina's cheeks and kissing her lovingly before holding her tightly, "Don't you ever leave us again."

"Never" Regina promises.

"Mom I love you" Henry says with a sniff as he clings to both his mothers.

"I love you too Henry" Regina says kissing his forehead revelling in all the things she thought she had lost forever.

"What happened to you?" Emma asks.

"Later" Regina replies, "Please let's just have this moment."

"And so many more" Emma promises.

_Always happy to hear what you think. Hope you enjoyed it and thank you for reading :)_


End file.
